We were not created for isolation. God intended for our souls to draw close to one another, and to be sustained by the eternity of a relationship with Him. His presence is eternal, His mercy is unchangeable, and His intimacy intercedes through His love for each of us. Through the healing and the hurting, we are pursued by a faithful friend in Jesus Christ. Here is a list of songs focusing on friendship.

As believers, we need to daily pick up our cross and follow Him. This is only done through surrender. Galatians 2:20 tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Here is a list of songs about surrender.

Thanksgiving is an essential season in the Christian year, where churches and families come together to focus on the goodness of God. Here is a list of contemporary Christian praise songs that you can use to plan your worship services and express thanksgiving to God.

God is good, all the time. It is not just a catchphrase. It is truth, even when we don't understand it. When we have trouble hearing from God, when He feels far away, when we look around and we can't understand, God is still good. His goodness is just as true when we have blessings to celebrate as when we have tears to shed. Here is a list of songs that speak of the goodness of God. All the time, God is good.

Jesus is the face of mercy, showing us what it means to welcome and pardon our adversaries. Mercy is transformative, challenging our postures to be pointed towards all of whom God calls His children. As mercy binds with truth, righteousness joins with peace, a representation of God’s faithful will to break barriers among His kingdom. Here is a list of songs focusing on God’s mercy.

Ever felt like your soul was wandering in the wilderness or stuck in the frigid cold of a long winter season? Those days when your present moment circumstances fill up with anxiety or are littered with distraction. Grabbing your phone first thing in the morning to scroll through Instagram or scan Twitter, you notice the pang for a moment and then push it aside; His whispered invitation "I am here...just waiting for you to see me." Suddenly, you see the time, jump out of bed and begin getting ready for the day. And like yesterday, you fill your day with work, school, food ... and catching up on a few of your favorite episodes on Netflix, then climb restlessly back into bed.  Maybe your version of winter seasons or wilderness wanderings looks a little bit different. Perhaps for you, there is less Netflix, but more striving to be honored at your workplace, extra hours spent at the office, or that nagging critical self-talk: "This project is lousy, no one is going to pay attention." Or the wretched voice of comparison: "I am never going to be as good as them...I shouldn't even bother putting in the effort." (Honestly, giving in to "comparison" is one of the quickest ways to stay stuck in a winter season!) Winter seasons and wilderness wanderings leave us depleted, worn-out, and lonely.  Alone In the Wilderness Yet all the while, He is with us...waiting. We may not notice, but that doesn't change His truth. Our present moment circumstances hold us tightly to their focus, and we don't even see the disconnection from Jesus right away. We feel undone, unsettled and discontent.   Finding yourself alone in a wilderness or winter season is unnerving. One thing to remember, even if we can't predict their length, seasons do change. When we find ourselves stuck in the dreariness of the soul's dark, rainy winter seasons; tired, discontent, and disoriented, take a moment and be intentional to speak about the Father's unchanging character.  "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2 Goodness of God Ask the Holy Spirit to lift your eyes above your circumstances and take in the unchanging nature of the Father; notice that He is good, He is faithful, He is our strength when we feel weak. My circumstances do not change His character. He remains the same, yesterday, today, and all for all our tomorrows.  A song like Goodness of God calls out this truth of the Father's unchanging character. He is faithful, His mercy never fails, and He is present with us always. Singing this truth sets our hearts on the things above, becoming a welcomed break from the dreariness of winter wanderings. Noticing His nearness, speaking of God's faithfulness, and worshipping can shift seasons and at the very least give you the much-needed rest and resilience to keep pushing through the drought you are in.    Goodness Of God was written by Ed Cash, Ben Fielding, Jason Ingram, Brian Johnson, and Jenn Johnson.   Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) at Shoreline Counselling in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children.